Mattress-tufting machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheetsks heet 1. E. B. DIXON.

MATTRESS TUFTING MACHINE.

No. 595,152. Patented Deo.'7, 1897.

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Edward .3- Edwin A TTOHNEYS.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

B. B. DIXON.

MATTRESS TUPTING MACHINE.

Patented Dec. 7. 1897.

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UiviTnn STATES PATENT FFICE.

EDXVARD B. DIXON, OF GRANTSBOROUGH, NORTH CAROLINA.

MATTRESS-TUFTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,152, dated December'7, 1897. Application filed July 14,1897. Serial No. 644,564. (Nomodel.)

To (l/ZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, EDWARD B. DIXON, of Grantsborough, in the county ofPamlico and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and ImprovedMattress-Tufting Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in that class of tufting-maehines inwhich a series of pairs of needles are forced up through the mattresswhile held by suitable clamps upon a suitable bed or frame.

It is my object to enable the needles to be raised and forced up througha mattress with greater case than before; also, to simplify and reducethe weight, number, and cost of parts; also, to provide lateral guidesor holders for the mattress while on the bed or frame; also, to makesuch guides vertically adjustable in order to accommodate mattresses ofdifferent thicknesses; also, to provide a temporary holder for thetufts, all as hereinafter described.

In accompanying drawings, two sheets, Figure 1 is a side view of themachine, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is avertical central transverse section of the machine. Fig. 4 is a detailhorizontal section on line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail side viewof a portion of the machine. Fig. 6 is a detail section illustrating thevertical adjustment of the mattress-clamps. Fig. 7 is a perspective viewillustrating the coaction of the needles with the tufts.

The fixed horizontal rectangular frame 1, Fig. 3, has a series ofparallel perforated crossbars 2. Such frame 1 and bars 2 constitute atable upon which the mattress is laid and clamped while being tufted.The same is supported by vertical legs 3 3, which are at tached to theinner side of the frame 1 and connected by horizontal brace-bars 4.

The eyed needles 6 are arranged vertically in pairs and work in theholes of cross-bars 2, each pair being set in a separate holderconstructed as a rack-bar and raised and lowered by a pinion that mesheswith such rack-bar, as in some other machines. The needles 6 are allsecured in the parallel cross-bars 7, Fig. 3, of a rigid but movableframe 8, arranged beneath the fixed table and guided in part by the legs3. The means for raising and lowering such needle-carrying frame 8 arefour pinions or gears 9 and four rack-bars 10, both such gears andrack-bars being arranged in pairs and intermeshing, as shown. Thus thereare two gears 9 and two racks 10 arranged in the same vertical plane oneach side of the machine, each pair of gears being between. two racks.The gears 9 are keyed on the ends of parallel rotatable shafts 11, thatextend across the machine beneath the table and have their bearings inthe side bars 4, while the rack-bars 1O slide on opposite legs 3 andhave antifriction-rollers 12, that work in guide-grooves 13 in the legs.It will be understood the upper ends of the racks 10 are attached to thesides of the needle-frame 8. A bent lever-arm 14 is attached to one ofthe gears 9 on each side of the machine, and when the needle-frame 8 islowered in normal position on the side bars 4, as shown in Fig. 1, thelevers 14 project upward at an angle of about forty-live degrees, moreor less. I employ two such levers 14 for convenience in operating themachine on either side.

It will be perceived that by moving the free end of either lever 14 indirection of arrow, Fig. 1, the several gears 9 will be rotatedsimultaneously, (those of each pair necessarily rotating in oppositedirections,) thus raising the rack-bars 10,and thereby the needle-frame8, so that the needles 6 are caused to project up through the perforatedcross-bars 2 and through the mattress lying thereon. It is likewiseobvious that upon moving the lever 14 to its former normal position theneedle-frame 8 will be lowered and the needles 6 retracted 2'. e., drawndown through the mattress and perforated bars 2. This operation iseffected with comparatively little effort, since the nee dles 6 are heldin a single frame 8, that has little friction with its guides, and forthe further reason that but two sets of gears 9 and racks 10 arerequired to effect the desired movement in place of the many heretoforeemployed.

The means for clamping the mattress upon the bed or frame 1 consist of aseries of sets of metal bars 15, that are hinged to verticallyadjustableposts or bars 16, arranged in guidegrooves 17, formed in one side of theframe 1 and projecting above it; also, of pairs of vertical catches 18,which are arranged on the opposite side of frame 1 and engage the freeends of the sets of clamping-bars 15 when the same are lowered upon themattress, as shown 11 Fig. 3.

For holding the posts 16 at any height to which they may be adjusted Iemploy a series of winged clamp-screws 19, Fig. 6, which work in a metalbar or plate 20, that also serves to confine the posts 16 in theirguide-grooves 17.

It will be noted, Fig. 1, that the catches 18 are provided with a seriesof notches or shoulders, which correspond to the different verticaladjustments ordinarily required for the sets of clamp-bars 15.

Each of the perforated bars 2, Fig. 1, is provided with cavities ordepressions 21 at the points where the pairs of needles 6 work throughsaid bars. Such cavities 21. are for the purpose of holding tufts, asshown.

In operating the machine the needle-frame 8 is first elevated, as beforedescribed, to bring the eyes of the needles 6 above the perforatedtable, then tufting-cords 22 are passed through the needles and thelatter lowered to the original normal position, next the tufts v23, Fig.3, are put in place in the cavities 21 of bars 2, and, lastly, thefilled mattress to be tufted is laid upon the perforated table or bars 2and the clamping-bars 15 turned down and engaged with the catches 18.Upon depressing either lever 14 the needles 6 pass up through the bars 2on both sides of the tufts 23 and carry the cords 22 up through themattress, when they are drawn out of the needleeyes and tied, whichcompletes the operation. The needle-frame 8 is then lowered, and thebars 15 are released from catches 18 and turned back, when the mattressmay be removed from the table.

It will be observed the adjustable posts 16 serve as guides for themattress, which is placed with one side in contact with them.

In practice springs may be employed to depress the movable needle-frame8 after the tufting-cords have been drawn out of the needles.Ratchet-bars may also be provided for engaging and holding thelever-arms 14: temporarily depressed.

What I claim is- 1. In a mattress-tuftin g machine, the combination witha table having a series of perforations, of a vertically-adjustableframe arranged under such table, and carrying the needles as specified,two sets of rack-bars attached to opposite sides of such movable frame,two sets of connected gears which mesh with said racks and with eachother, as shown, and a lever connected with one of the sets of gears, asshown and described, to operate as specified.

2. The improved mattress-tuftin g machine, comprising the fixed frame 1,the perforated cross-bars 2, held thereon, the vertically-movable frame8, arranged beneath such mattress-table, or support, and carrying aseries of pairs of needles; a pair of rack-bars at tached and arrangedvertically on each side of such movable frame; vertical fixed guides 3;a pair of gears arranged between the rackbars and meshing with them andwith each other; two parallel shafts whereon the gears are keyed; andlever-arms for rotating the gears; as shown and described.

3. In a mattress-tufting machine, the combination, with the perforatedtable, of the adjustable mechanism for securing mattresses of differentthicknesses, the sameconsisting of the posts 16, which are adjustablevertically, means for securing them in any adjustment, the clamping-barshinged to said posts, and the vertical catches having a series ofshoulders, or notches, for engaging and holding the said bars atdifferent heights, as shown and described.

4. In a mattress-tufting machine, the combination, with the perforatedtable, of the vertically-adjustable posts; vertical guidegrooves for thesame; abar or plate 20, spanning such grooves; a series ofclampingscrews working in said plate, and adapted to bear upon theposts; clamping-bars hinged to the posts; and catches having a series ofnotches, for engaging the free ends of the clamping-bars; as shown anddescribed.

EDWARD B. DIXON.

\Vitnesses:

D. L. ROBERTS, F. T. PATTERSON.

